9 Women on Their Biggest Inspirations
Photo: Sophia Elgort
We could use an inspiring story or two right now. And lucky for us, clothing brand Lafayette 148 has nine of them for their second #UnordinaryWomen campaign, featuring trailblazing women in black-and-white portraits shot by fashion photographer Sophie Elgort. The campaign benefits Girl Rising, a nonprofit that uses storytelling to advocate for girls’ rights and education around the world. Below, Lafayette 148’s nine chosen women share a quote about who (or what) has inspired them to fearlessly pursue their dreams.
Julissa Arce, undocumented immigrant turned Wall Street executive, writer, and social-justice advocate: "Having women mentors in my life has been...
Julissa Arce, undocumented immigrant turned Wall Street executive, writer, and social-justice advocate: "Having women mentors in my life has been such a big blessing. When I was at Goldman, my boss was a woman. My mom, my grandma, my tías, my sisters, my cousins—every woman in my family is an unordinary woman." Photo: Sophie Elgort
Maria Brito, art adviser and curator: "I think that every woman is unordinary, in the sense that there is so much that we do in the world. Every ...
Maria Brito, art adviser and curator: "I think that every woman is unordinary, in the sense that there is so much that we do in the world. Every woman has that in her." Photo: Sophie Elgort
Meena Harris, founder of the Phenomenal Woman Action Campaign, attorney, and activist: "[My mother] was a 17-year-old single mom who put herself ...
Meena Harris, founder of the Phenomenal Woman Action Campaign, attorney, and activist: "[My mother] was a 17-year-old single mom who put herself through college with me in tow, and accomplished the unthinkable. The odds were against her, but she put one foot in front of the other, and kept going." Photo: Sophie Elgort
Peggy Whitson, NASA chief astronaut and first female commander of the International Space Station: "The view of the Earth, it really gives you a ...
Peggy Whitson, NASA chief astronaut and first female commander of the International Space Station: "The view of the Earth, it really gives you a huge appreciation for our planet when you're up above it. You recognize how special this place is, how valuable it is, how delicate it is. I never would have imagined that. But the challenges I faced allowed me to do even more than I thought I could." Photo: Sophie Elgort
Amy Sherald, artist and first African-American woman to paint an official First Lady portrait: "My mother did not want me to become an artist. Sh...
Amy Sherald, artist and first African-American woman to paint an official First Lady portrait: "My mother did not want me to become an artist. She was a black woman born in 1930s Alabama where everything was really about surviving. I always say that she was the perfect mother for me, because what I needed was somebody to prove wrong. I’m a strong woman because I was raised by one, and I’m a better person for that." Photo: Sophie Elgort
Christina Lowery, founder of Girl Rising: "Last May in Guatemala I met an incredible young woman named Feliciana. She's in her early 20s. She gre...
Christina Lowery, founder of Girl Rising: "Last May in Guatemala I met an incredible young woman named Feliciana. She's in her early 20s. She grew up with an abusive father, in a culture that deeply undervalues girls, where violence is the norm. She fought so hard to be educated and pursue her college degree. And she’s devoting her life to working with communities like the one she came from and help give other girls a path to a better life. To me, that’s unordinary." Photo: Sophie Elgort
Brittany Packnett Cunningham, co-host of Pod Save the People, NBC News and MSNBC contributor, and activist: "[Black women throughout history] wer...
Brittany Packnett Cunningham, co-host of Pod Save the People, NBC News and MSNBC contributor, and activist: "[Black women throughout history] were willing to dream no matter how dire their circumstances. To dream that kind of dream when your circumstances are awful is a revolution. And it’s the women who’ve come before me that have taught me how to dream in a revolutionary way." Photo: Sophie Elgort
Anne Pasternak, first woman director of the Brooklyn Museum: "[Thelma Golden, museum director of the Studio Museum of Harlem] is one of the most ...
Anne Pasternak, first woman director of the Brooklyn Museum: "[Thelma Golden, museum director of the Studio Museum of Harlem] is one of the most unordinary, extraordinary women in my life, actually. She gave me my first serious chance at a major job. And she’s mentored me along the way—helping me think about the role that art can play in transforming society." Photo: Sophie Elgort
Siqi Mou, Forbes 30 Under 30, founder of Hello Ava: "[My mom] went to college at 15, right after the cultural revolution in China. No one had bee...
Siqi Mou, Forbes 30 Under 30, founder of Hello Ava: "[My mom] went to college at 15, right after the cultural revolution in China. No one had been educated in ten years, and that year everyone applied. She was competing with almost all men. But she tried her best and she got into one of the best colleges in China. That, to me, was total female empowerment before the term of female empowerment even became a thing." Photo: Sophie Elgort
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